One Dozen
by Emily Elizabeth
Summary: Sometimes the twelfth makes all the difference N/S, references to G/C


Title: One Dozen  
  
Author: Emily  
  
Rating: PG, PG-13 I guess  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of them, so please don't sue me. I promise to give them back when I'm done playing with them. Well, maybe not Nick.  
  
Summary: Sometimes the twelfth makes all the difference  
  
Author's Note: This story is a Christmas present for the Nick/Sara Shippers group at Yahoo. I hope you guys enjoy it- it's not beta'd, so hopefully they aren't TOO out of character, although they probably are. Whatever. Please review, and tell me what you think. This story came out of a spell of writer's block for Life and Death, but I promise I'll work on that this week. Okay, enough rambling: on with the story! ~Emily  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Hey, Nicky!" Catherine called out to her friend as he was leaving the Las Vegas Crime Lab. "Christmas Eve dinner. My place. You coming?" she asked him.  
  
"Sorry, Cath, but I can't. I've got a date," he apologized, and tried to leave without her asking any more questions. He didn't make it.  
  
"What is it this year? Everyone has dates. Right now it's only me and Grissom."  
  
"Yeah, right. Like you really mind spending Christmas with the bugman," Nick teased.  
  
"I don't know what you mean," she stated, turning a slight shade of pink.  
  
"Come on! Like the whole lab doesn't know about you and Grissom," he said, making her turn even redder.  
  
"There is nothing between me and Grissom. I don't know where you would get an idea like that."  
  
"Whatever. Listen, I gotta go pick something up before tonight. Did you ask everybody else?" he asked.  
  
"Grissom's coming, Warrick has a date, and Greg's going home to see his family. But there's one person I know I can count on to be available."  
  
"Oh yeah? Who?" * * *  
  
"Sorry, Cath, but I already have plans," Sara said as she reached for her jacket to leave.  
  
"What? With who?"  
  
"Well, I'm sorry if my having a life bothers you, Catherine, but I have a date," she said smugly, crossing her arms in front of her.  
  
"With who?" she repeated.  
  
"I don't think that's any of your business," Sara said, moving past Catherine to the door.  
  
"Fine. You don't want to tell me? Don't. But maybe you might want to stop by later on. Bring him with you."  
  
"Maybe I will," she said, smiling.  
  
* * *  
  
Sara fastened a gold necklace around her neck and spritzed on some perfume. She put a hand up to her hair, making sure that every piece was in check. It was held up with a studded clip, and two pieces hung out loosely to frame her face. She wore a simple black dress with spaghetti straps that came to just above her knee, with a slit up the side, and a pair of elegant strapless sandals with a small heel. She put the finishing touches on her make-up, and was ready to go. He had told her to dress up, although he refused to tell her where they were going. She knew he had something up his sleeve, but she didn't know what.  
  
* * *  
  
Nick drove nervously to Sara's apartment. He had been planning this for a while; he just hoped it all worked out. John promised him that he would take car of everything at the park, and Nick knew that he would be true to his word. His friend at Antonio's assured him that everything would go according to plan, and he had triple-checked that the limo would arrive at the right time. He only hoped all of his plans weren't in vain.  
  
When her apartment complex came into view, Nick slowed down before parking the car across the street. He rushed up the steps and rang the bell, fixing the tie on his tux as he waited for her to come to the door.  
  
She opened the door, allowing him a full view of her dress. "Wow." He exclaimed, his eyes traveling up the large expanse of leg revealed by her dress.  
  
"I take it you approve?" she asked, smiling.  
  
"You look amazing."  
  
"You don't look too shabby, yourself," she said, admiring his tuxedo. "Are those for me?" She asked, indicating the bouquet of roses he was carrying.  
  
"Oh, yeah." He said, embarrassed, "Sorry."  
  
"A dozen roses," she said, smelling them, "They're beautiful."  
  
"Eleven."  
  
"Excuse me?" she asked, confused.  
  
"There are only eleven roses. Not a dozen."  
  
"Well, they're still beautiful. Let me go put them in water." He followed her into the kitchen, where she grabbed a vase out of a cabinet, filled it with water, and emptied the contents of the flower food package into it.  
  
"So, where are we going?" she asked.  
  
"Uh-uh," he chided, "It's a surprise."  
  
She wrapped her arms around his neck, "You know I hate surprises," she kissed him, "Do you think," A kiss, "That maybe," Another kiss, "I could," A kiss, "Possibly," Another kiss, "Persuade you?" Another, deeper kiss.  
  
"Well," he said, pulling away, "You could," she moved in for another kiss, "But then I'd have to kill you," she swatted his arm, "and you're much to beautiful for that."  
  
"Oh really?" she asked, her lips inches from his.  
  
"Really," he said, closing the distance between them and kissing her passionately.  
  
"We'd better go. Our reservation is for seven," he said, regretfully pulling away from her.  
  
"Okay," she said, taking his hand in hers. She locked the door to her apartment, and they walked outside, where a sleek, black stretch limo was now waiting.  
  
"Oh my God. Is this for us?" she asked incredulously.  
  
"Yes it is. Your chariot awaits," he said, opening the door for her.  
  
"Why, thank you," she said, nodding at him before stepping into the plush vehicle. He followed after her and poured them each a glass of champagne.  
  
"I feel kind of guilty about ditching Catherine, don't you?" she asked, "I mean, we do always spend Christmas Eve there."  
  
"Yeah, well, maybe we can make and appearance later. Tonight is about you and me," he whispered into her ear, wrapping his arms around her waist as she leaned into him.  
  
"Do you think it was right? Not telling them about us?" she asked softly.  
  
"I don't see anything wrong with not telling them. It's really none of their business, anyway. And we saved ourselves from a lecture from Grissom. He would have just made sure we never worked the same cases. We're not hurting anybody by not telling them."  
  
"I guess you're right," she said, taking a sip of her champagne as the limo pulled up to a very expensive looking restaurant.  
  
"Antonio's?" Sara asked, stepping out of the limo, "Do you have any idea how much this place costs?"  
  
"Shhh. You just let me take care of that." He led her into the restaurant and walked up to the host. "Stokes, party of two?"  
  
"Right this way signor Stokes, signora." He spoke in a heavy Italian accent as he led them to their table, a small one in the far corner illuminated by candlelight.  
  
"This is so beautiful," Sara sighed, taking in her surroundings.  
  
"I thought you would like it," he said taking her fingers to his lips before entwining them with his own. The soft sounds of Frank Sinatra filled the air, and Nick rose to stand before Sara.  
  
"Will you dance with me?"  
  
"I'd love to," she replied, and he led her to the dance floor. She rested her hand on his chest.  
  
~*~When somebody loves you It's no good unless he loves you - all the way Happy to be near you When you need someone to cheer you - all the way  
  
Taller than the tallest tree is That's how it's got to feel Deeper than the deep blue see is That's how deep it goes - if its real When somebody needs you It's no good unless he needs you - all the way Through the good or lean years And for all the in between years - come what may  
  
Who know where the road will lead us Only a fool would say But if you'll let me love you It's for sure I'm gonna love you - all the way, all the way~*~  
  
"I love you," he whispered into her hair.  
  
"I know," she whispered back, "I love you, too." They continued to dance until their food arrived, when the sat down and ate their meal.  
  
* * *  
  
"That was wonderful, Nick. Thank you."  
  
"Oh, its not over yet," he said, grinning deviously.  
  
"Oh really?" she asked sarcastically, "Nicholas Stokes, you are full of surprises tonight."  
  
"Sir, we're almost there," the driver called from the front.  
  
"Alright, thank you," Nick called back.  
  
"We're almost where?" Sara asked perplexedly.  
  
"You'll see."  
  
They pulled up to a park filled with trees and with a small stream running through it. The limo driver let them out, and then drove away. Nick led Sara up a small hill where a picnic blanket was spread across the grass, and a basket sat to the side. A cooler filled with ice and a bottle of champagne was propped up against a tree. On top of the picnic basket was a single rose.  
  
Sara picked up the rose and noticed a red ribbon tied around it. She pulled the ribbon and a solitaire diamond ring fell into her palm.  
  
"What the-?" She looked up and saw that Nick had gotten down on one knee in front of her. Tears sprang to her eyes as she realized what was happening.  
  
"Sara Elizabeth Sidle," he said, taking the ring from her hand, "I love you; I've loved you since you first came to Vegas. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"  
  
"Nick, I love you too. Yes, I'll marry you!" He picked her up off the ground and spun her around. He put her down and looked into her eyes.  
  
"I'll be a good husband, Sara, I promise."  
  
"I know you will, Nick. Merry Christmas."  
  
"Merry Christmas, Sara. Merry Christmas."  
  
~The End~  
  
A/N~ Okay, I know that was very fluffy, but hey, if you can't have fluff on Christmas, when can you have it? Hope you guys enjoyed it, despite all the fluffiness. Also, the song is All the Way, by Frank Sinatra. I didn't pick that song for any particular reason; I didn't pick it because I thought it described their relationship or anything, I just happen to like that song. Please R/R! 


End file.
